He told thousands of people in the Welsh city’s historic Westgate Square that the cold-war era organisation should have “shut up shop, given up and gone away” when the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact dissolved in 1991.

Mr Corbyn pointed out that Nato has never been a defensive organisation, as it was set up six years before the Warsaw Pact.

And he derided the “spatchcock of a history” being fed to people in Britain about Nato, arguing that the 28-state alliance constantly reinvents itself to manufacture “new reasons for going to war.”

She took issue with Welsh suggestions that economic benefits would flow to Wales because of the summit, citing “the massive disruption it will cause as well as its cost.”

Many local companies have already complained about the effect on their businesses, especially in central Cardiff where steel and concrete obstructions, together with closed roads, are playing havoc with normal life and confusing visitors.

Cardiff Council Deputy Lord Mayor Ali Ahmed told the rally: “We all know what is happening in Iraq, Gaza, Palestine, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan. Who created all this? It’s us and America.”

While Mr Ahmed was not officially representing the council, it has associated itself with an alternative summit taking place this week.

That spirit was evident from the welcome given by Newport residents to the 3,000 marchers.

Thumbs up, clenched fists and peace signs were offered to welcome the protesters for peace.

Some minority communities had clearly been intimidated from marching by the militarisation of policing, with steel fencing, concrete blocks, police at every roundabout and crossroad and constant helicopter surveillance.

Newport will hold an alternative summit today and tomorrow at Pill Mill in the city’s most economically deprived parish, Pillgwenlly.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is hosting this week’s NATO summit in Wales, is to announce that the imperialist alliance will create a new joint expeditionary force (JEF) of at least 10,000 troops for rapid deployment in crisis situations: here.